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HUNDREDS of parents of secondary school children in Hampshire are missing out on cash help to buy expensive new school uniforms.

School uniforms can cost hundreds of pounds a year with compulsory items including blazors embroidered with the school crest and bespoke sports kit.

Hampshire County Council gives school uniform grants worth £61.25 per pupil to lowincome families eligible for free school meals.

Last year the council gave out £133,000 in uniform allowances to 2,200 pupils, but 600 eligible children didn't apply. This meant £40,000 earmarked for uniforms went unspent.

There is no statutory obligation for local education authorities to provide grants for uniforms.

But children's charities have said poorer pupils risk being stigmatised, bullied or even excluded from school because their parents can't afford all the required items.

Winchester Citizens Advice Bureau has been surveying local schools on their uniform policies.

Lesley Rose, a CAB advisor, said: "There are quite a lot of schools which insist pupils buy uniforms from their own shop which quite often is more expensive than the high street."

She said there could sometimes be a stigma to receiving free school meals but the low take-up of the uniform grant suggested not enough people knew about it.

She said: "The issue is how to let more people know so they can access help."

Hampshire gives allowances to pupils in year seven - when children start secondary school - as well as years nine and 10.

A county council spokesman said: "Entitlement is publicised in a booklet sent to the parents of all Hampshire pupils in year six in maintained schools, and we would expect schools to make sure that the parents of year nine and year 10 pupils are aware."

She said details of uniform grants were also listed on the council website, while forms for parents to fill-in were available in primary and secondary schools.

The council said historically the school uniform budget was underspent as some eligible low-income families did not take up free school meals or claim the uniform allowance.

* What do you think? Add your comments below.

3:58pm Thursday 17th July 2008

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